[Mike442]

First time poster. I feel like this is the dumbest question I've ever had to ask in a forum. I have a degree in network engineering and over 20 years of IT helpdesk management experience. I've been building computers since 1984. Like to think I'm pretty savvy with technology. But I cannot for the life of me figure out how to reserve a 2023 F-150 Lightning! I've been all through the website, created an account and all I can see are buttons for "get updates" and "save build". All major media outlets reported Ford was taking reservations again for 2023's starting a few weeks ago. But I cannot find the button to reserve one!

I like to think I'm not dumb. I've successfully ordered and put down deposits on Rivian R1T, Cybertruck, and Silverado EV already. I need an EV pickup truck for work and will take whichever I can get first. But this website is really infuriating. 🤦‍♂️😣😭

 

[lllaible1]

I doubt you will be able to reserve a Lighting til 2024-25. Ford needs to build around 160,000 trucks that have been reserved already. Your best bet if you have deep pockets is to find 1 of the many flippers out there and pay the big bucks. Sorry if that dosen't help.

 

[Mike442]

45 minutes on the website chat (and counting) and still no answer...

 

[Mike442]

I doubt you will be able to reserve a Lighting til 2024-25. Ford needs to build around 160,000 trucks that have been reserved already. Your best bet if you have deep pockets is to find 1 of the many flippers out there and pay the big bucks. Sorry if that dosen't help.

Hi! Thanks for the comment. I'm referring to the several dozen news and media articles that were posted a few weeks ago, saying that Ford had re-opened the reservation system for 2023 Lightnings. Just frustrating because of all the media attention but there doesn't seem to actually be a "reserve" button anywhere on their site. 🤔🤦‍♂️

https://fordauthority.com/2022/08/2023-ford-f-150-lightning-order-banks-open-tomorrow/

Ford reopens F-150 Lightning order bank, raises prices

Faced with rising raw materials prices, EV makers — including Ford and numerous of its rivals — have increased prices on some models.

www.detroitnews.com

https://www.engadget.com/ford-f-150-lightning-price-increase-154556193.html

Ford is almost ready to take new F-150 Lightning orders — with a $7,000 price hike

F-150 Lightning orders reopen this week with new pricing.

www.theverge.com

Etc.

 

[lllaible1]

I believe they mean they opened up orders for those that reserved last year 2021 not new reservations. Just so you get the idea there were 200,000 reseravations last year. Ford has only produced around 30,000 during 2022. That leave 170,000 more to go before reopening reservations. Maybe I'm wrong about that and someone will come along and clear things up.

 

[RST]

I believe they mean they opened up orders for those that reserved last year 2021 not new reservations. Just so you get the idea there were 200,000 reseravations last year. Ford has only produced around 30,000 during 2022. That leave 170,000 more to go before reopening reservations. Maybe I'm wrong about that and someone will come along and clear things up.

You are exactly right. They opened up the "order banks" not the "reservations". When the production numbers start catching up with the existing reservations, they will invite new customers to the system. I know it's a hard pill to swallow, but the only way around it is to do what lllaible1 stated in his first reply to you. Pay big bucks to a flipper, or scumbag dealer.

 

[Mike442]

You are exactly right. They opened up the "order banks" not the "reservations". When the production numbers start catching up with the existing reservations, they will invite new customers to the system. I know it's a hard pill to swallow, but the only way around it is to do what lllaible1 stated in his first reply to you. Pay big bucks to a flipper, or scumbag dealer.

Thanks for the reply. The ambiguity between the phrases "order banks" and "reservations" is definitely not clear, at least to a layperson, and especially with the amount of media attention this garnered. I assumed it was an IT issue - like my dumb self just couldn't find the right page to click on the link, LOL.

It doesn't help that after being on the Ford website chat for almost an hour they couldn't tell me the same thing. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤣

Definitely have the money, but definitely don't want to pay big bucks to a scumbag flipper or dealer. I see all the Rivians on ebay listed for $130,000. That's a no from me, dawg. 😫

 

[Leaf to Lightning : )]

Reservations stopped last summer, when Ford realized they'd have a hard time building all those potential orders.
ORDERS stopped this spring for anything 2022, to be built sometime before maybe October when they start building 2023s.
The only 'Order Banks' that opened up were for those who ALREADY had an invite to order a 2022 model, but the trim level, such as Pro or XLT, was already sold out. Those folks may have chosen to 'defer' their choice until Ford announced the 2023 models and pricing.
2023 Wave 1 order invites, only to those with previous order invites, could order anything, even a PRO.
Wave 2 order invites, only to those with previous order invites, could order anything, even a PRO, IF the Pro was still available... they were not. The Wave 2 orders for PROs are ALREADY sold out, again, for 2023. These also are not reported to even be BUILT until LATE 2023. That's a YEAR from now.

2023 Wave 3 order invites, only to those with EXISTING Reservations, probably most still from back on May 19th/20th of 2021, will have the option of Ordering a 2023 model, but ONLY the trims that have not already sold out...so, certainly the PRO is off the table, and the XLT may even be gone by the time some make up their minds.

It's not a pretty system, but Ford has designed it in a way that works for them, to control orders and trim levels and commodities that are required to meet those orders, etc. Commonidity and chip constraints and not helping. Much of that they cannot control.
They have also designed it to create a 'flow' of orders, over time, for many lucky future owners.

I waited over 15 months from Reservation, to Order, to Built, to RECEIVED..on August 23rd. Many will have to wait even longer. I was one of the lucky first, but, even having said that, it was EXTREMELY frustrating and you must have a LOT of patience, no doubt.

 

[jimhugh]

One sentence on Ford’s main web page will definitely clarify the confusion. It is a conscious choice on Ford’s part to keep it vague in the hope to hold people’s interest. I don’t know if it’s a good strategy though. Eventually after initial hype dies down, prospect buyers will get tired.

 

[zamboti2013]

Reservations stopped last summer, when Ford realized they'd have a hard time building all those potential orders.
ORDERS stopped this spring for anything 2022, to be built sometime before maybe October when they start building 2023s.
The only 'Order Banks' that opened up were for those who ALREADY had an invite to order a 2022 model, but the trim level, such as Pro or XLT, was already sold out. Those folks may have chosen to 'defer' their choice until Ford announced the 2023 models and pricing.
2023 Wave 1 order invites, only to those with previous order invites, could order anything, even a PRO.
Wave 2 order invites, only to those with previous order invites, could order anything, even a PRO, IF the Pro was still available... they were not. The Wave 2 orders for PROs are ALREADY sold out, again, for 2023. These also are not reported to even be BUILT until LATE 2023. That's a YEAR from now.

2023 Wave 3 order invites, only to those with EXISTING Reservations, probably most still from back on May 19th/20th of 2021, will have the option of Ordering a 2023 model, but ONLY the trims that have not already sold out...so, certainly the PRO is off the table, and the XLT may even be gone by the time some make up their minds.

It's not a pretty system, but Ford has designed it in a way that works for them, to control orders and trim levels and commodities that are required to meet those orders, etc. Commonidity and chip constraints and not helping. Much of that they cannot control.
They have also designed it to create a 'flow' of orders, over time, for many lucky future owners.

I waited over 15 months from Reservation, to Order, to Built, to RECEIVED..on August 23rd. Many will have to wait even longer. I was one of the lucky first, but, even having said that, it was EXTREMELY frustrating and you must have a LOT of patience, no doubt.

Yep, reserved 05/19/21 no invite email yet just price increase email...Great Product, need better Process and People (my dealer very nice but says wait for Ford email)
As more competition comes along Ford will improve. On my 2nd Tesla and this current one was placed Nov 2021, picked up Dec 2021, took 10 minutes in & out. Ford wants to catch Tesla, Ford gotta DELIVER on all fronts.

 

[ChasingCoral]

You cannot place an order without a reservation. Reservations were closed in December and have not opened back up. There has been no announcement about reopening reservations yet.

 

[Kevin2991]

I believe they mean they opened up orders for those that reserved last year 2021 not new reservations. Just so you get the idea there were 200,000 reseravations last year. Ford has only produced around 30,000 during 2022. That leave 170,000 more to go before reopening reservations. Maybe I'm wrong about that and someone will come along and clear things up.

Point taken but it’s worse than that: Ford says they will only produce 15,000 MY ‘22 lightnings. Maybe they’ll hit 30k this year with mY 23 productions but yea, it’s gonna take a minute for them to work through the backlog.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Point taken but it’s worse than that: Ford says they will only produce 15,000 MY ‘22 lightnings. Maybe they’ll hit 30k this year with mY 23 productions but yea, it’s gonna take a minute for them to work through the backlog.

IIRC Ford said they would make about 80,000 in MY 2023, then started to build more capacity and said they’d reach a rate of 150,000 per year by the end of MY 2023. That suggests they’ll get through the backlog in a year.